Review | Stunt doubles rise in ‘The Fall Guy’
“The Fall Guy,” directed by David Leitch, was released to theaters on May 3 and stars Ryan Gosling as a famous stunt double. Photo collage by EMILY PARIS, Photo Editor
If you plan to see “The Fall Guy” starring Ryan Gosling, don't make the same mistake I did by thinking it would be anything like the movie “Free Guy” starring Ryan Reynolds as a non-player character in an online video game. The titles may be similar, but these films are very different.
“The Fall Guy,” released on May 3, follows Colt Seavers ( Gosling), who is a famous stunt double. He has the perfect job, perfect girl and perfect life. Yet, this glorious, almost unrealistic dream is cut short a mere one scene into the film when Colt is severely injured on the job. Then, the movie skips to 18 months later.
Colt is now working as a valet driver for a local Mexican restaurant. His hair has grown out to his shoulders, he has cut off contact with all the important people in his life, and he hasn't performed any stunt work since the accident. That’s when he receives a message from his old producer saying Colt’s old fling, Jody (Emily Blunt), is directing a film and wants him to be the stunt double. Colt immediately packs his bags and heads to set.
Now, back on a movie set doing what he loves, Colt must reignite his old flame with Jody, get his career back on track and solve an unexpected murder.
Isn’t there an expression that goes, if you give Ryan Gosling the humorous heartthrob leading role, he will undoubtedly perfectly embody it? Gosling’s performance in this film felt like a mix of his romantic side with a sprinkle of what we saw from him in “The Nice Guys.” Blunt does an equally impressive job as Jody, showcasing a more quirky, cheesy side to her acting repertoire.
The film repeatedly calls itself out, poking jokes at common movie clichés while simultaneously implementing them. During one scene, Jody is on the phone with Colt, asking his opinion on the use of split screens in movie scenes. So, of course, as the two talk in the film, the screen is split. Self-referentiality in movies is always something I find amusing, and this case was no exception.
I also found the use of large effects and stunts to be clever as well. They never made the film feel over-the-top, but instead emphasized the importance of stunt people. Because the movie highlights the importance of the unsung hero, I was consciously paying attention to the big action scenes, knowing it wasn’t actually Gosling throwing himself into a wall.
“The Fall Guy” never takes itself too seriously. Sometimes, this landed for me, like when Colt is sobbing and singing in his car to “All Too Well” by Taylor Swift, thinking about his former relationship with Jody. Other times, the humor fell flat or felt cringe and forced, but it was mostly forgivable.
While the chemistry between Blunt and Gosling in real life is convincing — see their many interviews and Academy Award presentations as examples — it occasionally felt unrealistic in the movie. Their dynamic screams platonic, and their good friendship outside of the movie sometimes seeped into their “romance” on screen.
Unfortunately, I’m not the only one to see flaws in the film. “The Fall Guy” faced a disappointing opening weekend, only garnering $28.3 million at the box office despite costing a pricey $130 to $150 million to make.
Despite the movie’s predictability and cliches, it’s still worth the watch, whether for the Taylor Swift reference, Gosling’s charm or over-the-top explosions. Just maybe wait until the film hits streaming.
